After a quick offseason, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball Tournament is back. This season preview will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles as they look to avenge last season’s finals loss.

AT THE pinnacle of the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ journey through Season 84 of the UAAP, Head Coach Tab Baldwin and his squad gazed upon an unfamiliar sight. For the first time in three seasons, a different team sat at the peak of the UAAP Men’s Basketball  mountaintop.

Four months after their finals loss at the hands of the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, Ateneo looks to soar up the mountain once more to avenge their dethronement. Arguably the most inexperienced squad under the tutelage of Baldwin, the team’s fate is clouded with even more uncertainty as they begin their Season 85 journey.

With SJ Belangel, Gian Mamuyac, Jolo Mendoza, Tyler Tio, and Raffy Verano all departing for the professional leagues, only four members remain from Ateneo’s Season 82 championship squad. Ange Kouame, Geo Chiu, Matthew Daves, and BJ Andrade are the only remnants of Ateneo’s three-peat era. With the core of their regular rotation now gone, the Blue Eagles’ identity as the perennial favorites is now put in question.

Despite their relative inexperience compared to the former Ateneo rosters, there is still  a lot to look forward to in the new additions. Incoming sophomore standouts Forthsky Padrigao and Josh Lazaro aim to take a huge step forward with more prominent roles, while Filipino-American recruits Paul Garcia and Kai Balungay both look to make immediate impacts on the team. Finally, the core duo of Ange Kouame and Dave Ildefonso will anchor their squad filled with fresh talents.

With the Ateneo Blue Eagles set out to take back the crown in UAAP Season 85, here are a few narratives to watch for on their way back to the top.

The need for magic in a fresh-look backcourt 

Ralph:  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Blue Eagles’ backcourt unit suffered a huge loss in the offseason. With veteran playmaker SJ Belangel’s departure, an instrumental role to orchestrate the pass-first Tab Baldwin system has been freed up. 

However, in the Blue Eagles’ brief but victorious stint in the World University Basketball Series (WUBS), Padrigao showcased why he is bound to be Ateneo’s next main floor general. In the aforementioned tourney, the sophomore averaged 10 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 steals in 21 minutes per game as a starter. Padrigao’s marksman-like accuracy as a passer combined with his skill in easily finding open lanes are testament to his exceptional court vision. With Padrigao’s past rookie season placing him fifth in team assists despite limited playing time, anticipate a huge jump in numbers as the former Batang Gilas stalwart is expected to carry a bigger workload. 

When discussing depth, Ateneo’s addition of Paul Garcia is also a timely addition this offseason, as the Blue and White reload their firepower. The former US National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III cager has already staked his claim as a prolific shot-creator and a lethal off-ball weapon during the preseason. Beyond his impressive shot output in the WUBS, the 5’11 guard has shown promise in making high-quality reads and passes to improve the Blue Eagle offense. 

Now a battle-tested veteran, Team Captain BJ Andrade is guaranteed to play with an additional chip on his shoulder. Since the Blue Eagles have been plagued with turnover issues from Season 84 up until their preseason tune-ups, Andrade’s experience will be crucial in stabilizing the offense. Averaging 5.9 points and 38% shooting from the perimeter last season, the clutch-time shotmaker is primed to guide his team in hopes of finishing his collegiate career with a championship. 

With how the collegiate game has stylistically evolved to be more dynamic, an elite guard is a dire need in the Blue Eagles’ quest for vindication.

Fortifying the paint

Anton: Coming into Season 84, Ateneo believed they had a plethora of strengths and scant weaknesses to address—all until they met their cross-avenue rivals in the championship. Coach Baldwin found his match in UP’s Head Coach Goldwyn Monteverde, as the latter was able to slay the once-undefeated Ateneo. 

Coach Monteverde’s key asset in UP’s victory was the big trio of Zavier Lucero, Carl Tamayo, and Finals MVP Malick Diouf. In the three-game finals against the Blue Eagles, the frontcourt triad combined for 87 boards and 94 points for the Fighting Maroons. They were also able to contain league MVP Kouame, limiting him to only 47% shooting from the field. In the latter stages of Game Three, they also forced crucial turnovers on Ateneo’s 6’10 center to clinch the championship for Diliman.

After the bitter loss, Ateneo looks to bounce back, securing the commitment of 6’7 standout Kai Ballungay—a welcome addition after the departure of key power forward Raffy Verano. His strong presence in turn beefs up a loaded frontcourt with his tall frame and athleticism to get to the rim. The Filipino-American also joins sharpshooters Andrade and Ildefonso to space the floor. Expect Ballungay to make an immediate contribution for Coach Tab, and help Kouame anchor the team’s offense as the season takes off.

A potential hiccup for the Blue Eagles is Kouame’s health status, as he is still reeling from the meniscal sprain and partial Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear he suffered during his stint with the Philippine National Team. Baldwin mentioned in a recent podcast that Kouame is still far from his MVP form.

Thus, with the rise of upcoming rookies and the question marks on the star big man’s health, this season’s Blue Eagle frontcourt is in for a hellacious ride, one way or another.

The key cog of the Ateneo offense

Vito: As Kouame continues to anchor the paint and with Coach Baldwin still calling the shots, fans can rest easy knowing that the Ateneo defense will still be leagues ahead of everyone else. Although there will surely be concerns during the minutes Kouame spends on the bench, those two factors alone are sufficient to give Ateneo an edge above most teams in the season. 

Now, the real point of interest for the Blue Eagles’ season lies on the offensive end. Though Baldwin’s philosophy of spacing and ball movement will be at the forefront of the system, the possible decline in offensive firepower this upcoming one is difficult to ignore.

The absences of Belangel, Tio, and Mamuyac—three key cogs in the Ateneo offense that kept the machine running smoothly with their shot creation and playmaking abilities–will be heavily felt on the offensive end. Fortunately for the Blue and White, star forward Dave Ildefonso’s talent can maintain the offensive momentum for the coming year.

Ever since coming over to Katipunan, Ildefonso’s offensive bag has grown—blossoming into a three-level scorer that can now create space both for himself and others. Even if Coach Baldwin was never one to run isolation plays for his teams, Ildefonso has shown glimpses of his ability to carry a team’s offense, evidenced over the offseason in his 27 point masterclass.

At the end of their finals bout against UP, Ildefonso was largely the first target of criticism as many fans found his performance on the big stage underwhelming. After previously averaging 11.6 points on 41% shooting from the field and 36% from the three point line during the eliminations, Ildefonso’s numbers dropped to just 6 points on 32% shooting throughout the finals. Amid the dismay of his finals production output, Ildefonso is expected to bounce back this coming season given that he has the wide skill set to back it up. 

Ultimately, with many key pieces gone, the reigning season MVP Koaume hobbled, and a brand new supporting cast at his side, the lights shine even brighter now on Ildefonso as he boosts Ateneo’s offense.

This week’s games:

Sunday, October 2, 4:00 PM, vs Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the Mall of Asia Arena

Wednesday, October 5, 6:30 PM, vs National University Bulldogs at the Philsports Arena Pasig

Sunday, October 9, 4:30 PM, vs De La Salle University Green Archers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum